At the edge of the horizon, a dark blue line stretched across the sky.
The sea.
The six of them reached a coastal town before nightfall.
It was small, called Wavewatch Town, with only two or three hundred households. Yet its pier was neatly built, with dozens of ships of all sizes moored there. Masts stood like a forest, and sails snapped in the evening breeze.
There were plenty of shops by the pier selling fishing gear, ropes, canvas, freshwater barrels, and several taverns hung dim yellow lanterns outside their doors.
Bing Yekong found what looked like the most reliable shipyard in town.
The shipyard owner was a dark-faced man in his fifties with a blue fish tattoo on his arm. One look told them he had made his living at sea for years.
After hearing Bing Yekong's request, the man looked the group over, glanced at the ships tied up at the dock, and led them over to choose one.
The ship was not large, but it was sturdy. Its hull was made from thick oak, the planks above the waterline had been coated with three layers of tung oil, and its bottom was sheathed in copper to prevent borers.
Ten or so people could stand on the deck without crowding it. There were two cabins, one for people and one for cargo, and the roof was covered with a thick oilcloth canopy. The mast was a single tall, straight red pine trunk, fitted with a brand-new white sail.
"This one's called the Wave Chaser." The shipowner patted the hull. "It's the best medium-sized ship I've got. It can handle a month or two on the open sea without trouble. It won't withstand a typhoon, but as long as you don't run into one, it'll be steady."
Bing Yekong